Radiation-Cured Tape Jacketing for Shaped Cable Strands
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for jacketing cable strands in cable looms are complex, costly, and inefficient, particularly in terms of time and resource utilization, and they struggle with adapting to different macrostructures and ensuring complete curing of adhesives.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using adhesive tapes with curable adhesives that can be cured by electromagnetic radiation, and employing holding elements that are transmissive to this radiation to ensure thorough curing and precise shaping of the cable looms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If injection-moulded cable ducts are used for jacketing, then mechanical protection and structural rigidity are improved, but device complexity and production cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex injection-moulded ducts with a disposable adhesive tape system. The tape is applied to cable strands and then cured to form the jacketing structure, eliminating the need for costly moulds and complex production apparatus while achieving comparable mechanical protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical injection-moulding process with a chemical curing process. Instead of using mechanical force to inject and shape duct material, the invention uses UV-curable adhesive that bonds cables together and forms the jacketing structure through photopolymerization when exposed to UV radiation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If injection-moulding is used for cable duct production, then structural integrity is improved, but production time and cost efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive tape is pre-coated with UV-curable adhesive before application. This preliminary preparation allows the tape to be immediately activated upon application to the cable strands, eliminating the need for separate adhesive application and curing setup steps required in injection-moulding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of the UV-curable adhesive from liquid to solid state through photopolymerization. This rapid phase change upon UV exposure enables quick curing and production, significantly improving productivity compared to the slow cooling and solidification process in injection-moulding.
3Ease of operation
If conventional adhesive tapes are used for cable bundling, then ease of application is improved, but mechanical robustness and rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of the adhesive from pressure-sensitive (conventional) to UV-curable. This parameter change allows the adhesive to remain untacky during application for ease of handling, then transform into a strong, rigid bond when exposed to UV radiation, achieving both ease of application and mechanical robustness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure consisting of the adhesive tape carrier, the UV-curable adhesive layer, and the cable strands. This composite system combines the flexibility and ease of application of the tape carrier with the strength and rigidity of the cured adhesive, achieving properties that neither component alone could provide.
4Adaptability or versatility
If adhesive tapes with curable adhesives are used, then adaptability to different macrostructures is improved, but complete curing of the adhesive deteriorates due to shadow spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional cable arrangements to three-dimensional cable loom structures by wrapping the adhesive tape around multiple cables in spatial configurations. The UV radiation is applied from multiple angles and directions to ensure complete curing of the adhesive in all shadow spaces created by the three-dimensional arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The curing process is applied periodically from multiple directions rather than from a single source. UV radiation is delivered in sequences from different angles to penetrate and cure adhesive in shadow spaces that would be inaccessible from a single irradiation direction, ensuring complete and uniform curing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a more efficient, cost-effective, and adaptable method for producing high-performance cable looms with improved mechanical robustness and reduced material defects due to complete adhesive curing.
Implementation Method 1
curing the curable adhesive in the shaped strand by irradiating the adhesive tape with electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength λ
Implementation Method 2
the one or the two or more holding elements at least in sections are at least partly transmissive for electromagnetic radiation of wavelength λ, wherein the irradiation of the adhesive tape with the electromagnetic radiation of wavelength λ takes place at least partly through the one or the two or more holding elements
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for jacketing strandlike elements (10), comprising the method steps of: a) producing or providing a strandlike element (10), b) wrapping the strandlike element (10) with an adhesive tape (12) to give a wrapped strand (14), the adhesive tape (12) comprising as curable adhesive a radiation-curing and/or thermally curing adhesive, c) arranging the wrapped strand (14) in one or more holding elements (16) of a holding arrangement (18) to establish a predetermined shape and to give a shaped strand (20), and d) curing the curable adhesive in the shaped strand (20) by irradiating the adhesive tape (12) with electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength λ, to give a jacketed strand (22), wherein the one or the two or more holding elements (16) at least in sections are at least partly transmissive for electromagnetic radiation of wavelength λ, wherein the irradiation of the adhesive tape (12) with the electromagnetic radiation of wavelength λ takes place at least partly through the one or the two or more holding elements (16).